Black Privilege: Opportunity Comes to Those Who Create It by Charlamagne Tha God
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I’m a 26 year old white girl that listens to mostly alternative music and a little bit of country. My knowledge of hip hip and rap is confined to Top 40 radio. Obviously, I didn’t know who Charlamagne tha God was prior to reading this, but I think his story and advice are worth the read. Charlamagne succeeded at giving poignant advice for life with his one of a kind experience.
At one point early in the book, Charlamagne suggests that you need to expand your horizons and read and listen to people who don’t share that much in common with you. From that point, I knew I was going to like the rest . Even though I didn’t know who Charlamagne was, I was really invested in the story of his life.
I have to say, toward the tail end of this book, the feminist in me got sick of hearing how many girls this guys took to bed. Just as I was about ready to turn the book off, he started talking about his wife and the importance of his family. Thank goodness. I could look past it when he was younger, but at some point you have to realize women aren’t accessories to life. The feminist in me almost gave this a 3 on that grounds.
I think everyone can agree that living with purpose, evolving from experience, sharing love, and working hard are key to success and happiness. What’s clear from his journey is that achieving this legally is going to get you a longer and fuller life. He also really made me think about what my dream is. Is it even my dream? Bonus points, he ended with a quote from The Lion King – which is my favorite. I almost got a little weepy. “Remember who you are.” I, without a doubt, needed to hear that.